Tangerine Orange
by Freya-chan
Summary: The classic tale of Snow White with a One Piece twist! Nami is a princess down on her luck and Sanji is a prince looking for love and meaning. Action! Romance! Comedy! And the weirdest "dwarves" ever seen in the Four Blues!
1. Prologue

Author's Note: A wonderful idea I had, because it allows me to use all the characters that I love. And SanjiXNami stories were just meant to be used in fairy tales. Why? Because Sanji is Mr. Prince! I hope you enjoy it, and please don't flame me.  
  
Disclaimer: One Piece is owned by Eichiro Oda and Toei Animation. Not me. I wish. Don't' sue, I have no money to give you.  
  
Tangerine Orange  
  
Once upon a time in an island kingdom far, far away, there lived a king and his queen in a castle surrounded by tangerine groves. For years they remained childless, but not for lack of want. Many days the queen would sit in the gardens and pray for a child. She would tell her husband, "I wish I had a baby girl, with eyes like amber and hair as orange as the tangerines we grow."  
One year, to their delight, a baby girl was born to them. Just as her mother wished, her eyes were as dark as fine amber and her hair was like a ripe tangerine. Her mother was so ecstatic that she decided to name the child "Tangerine Orange". However, the name was a bit on the silly side, so they nicknamed her Nami.  
Unfortunately, a few years after Nami's birth, the queen grew ill and died, leaving the little girl without a mother. The king did not want to leave his daughter motherless, so he married again. But the new queen was vain and cruel, and although she treated Nami well in front of the king, when he was not present she regarded her the same as if she would vermin. She stripped Nami of most of her royal duties, keeping her locked away in the castle. As a result Nami grew to be headstrong and afraid of making friends, for every friend she did make her cruel stepmother would send away. It came to be so that her only pleasure in life was drawing maps and tending to her mother's tangerine groves.  
During Nami's sixteenth year her father died on a hunting trip, leaving her stepmother in charge of the kingdom. Without her father's restraining presence, the wicked queen became even crueler to Nami, making her work as a maid in order to hide her royal heritage. When not running the kingdom or making Nami's life miserable, the queen would lock herself in her chambers and consult her magic mirror. She would say, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who in all the four seas is the fairest of them all?" To which the timid and highly abused mirror would reply, "You of course, Alvida-sama, are the fairest of them all."  
During the process of all this, Nami became more and more despondent, and would spend every moment she could spare in the tangerine groves, for they were the only place she could find solace. However, unbeknownst to the evil queen, Nami was growing more beautiful by the day, so that even her lowly state as a maid could not hide her beauty. By her eighteenth birthday she was as beautiful as her mother once was, albeit very lonely and very touchy. It is shortly after her birthday that we begin our story . . .. 


	2. Ch 1: A Fateful Encounter

Disclaimer: I still don't own One Piece. I still wish I did. But I don't. So there.  
  
Chapter 1: A Fateful Encounter  
  
The young maid Nami stared sadly at the tangerines in front of her, forced yet again to settle with plants for substitute companions. Although her heart was heavy she refused to give in to tears, as crying would be a sign of defeat. And she refused to give in to her despicable stepmother. Even if she had to work as a maid, she was still a princess. And a princess would rather die than come off looking like a little weakling.  
"This is ridiculous," she muttered as she trimmed and pruned the tangerine trees. She was officially eighteen years old, and she was still getting worked up over silly little things. This was the way things were, and they weren't likely to change until that old hag Alvida croaked and left Nami and the whole kingdom a lot happier. Not that she hadn't tried to get rid of her through various "accidents", but Alvida always managed to slip through them. The fact that she had eaten a Devil Fruit didn't make things any easier. Trying to put a knife in her back or to crush her skull with something heavy was impossible. Even when Nami attempted poisoning her, she always knew where the poison was. It was like she had a little birdy telling her everything that Nami did. And every time she caught Nami in the act she was punished severely, to the point that she was doing the worst jobs possible in the castle. It wasn't fair.  
As if on cue, the piercing voice of the queen rang through the tangerine groves. "NAMI! Fetch water from the well for my bath! I must keep my beautiful skin sparkling clean at all times!!"  
Nami rolled her eyes but did as she was told. "Not like she needs it," she muttered. Her stepmother's devil fruit power kept her skin clean and shiny, and she was already beautiful. She didn't need any help. But it always gave her pleasure to see Nami doing grunt work. So to avoid receiving any more punishment, she reluctantly fetched a pail and went to the well that resided at the edge of the tangerine grove.  
  
**  
Meanwhile, a young prince by the name of Sanji was making his way through the kingdom, hoping nobody noticed him. He was glad that his kingdom was right next door; so sneaking into this one and away from his annoying royal duties was a cinch. He had dressed in what he hoped was nondescript clothing: A black suit with a blue pinstripe shirt and black tie. Just because he was going incognito was no reason to dress like a slob. He had personal standards. Unfortunately he was unable to cover up his most distinctive feature, his curled eyebrows, or brow in this case, as his hair covered most of the left side of his face. Another reason he chose this kingdom to wander around in. The people here didn't see him nearly as often as his own subjects did, so he was fairly safe. It wasn't that he disliked being a prince, but some of the duties were boring and beyond ridiculous. Besides, as a prince he wasn't allowed to partake in some of his less than noble habits in public, such as smoking and shameless flirting. All the more reason to sneak out now and then.  
By midmorning he found himself at the edge of the castle, where the extremely beautiful Queen Alvida lived. He remembered her from the few times his family had made official visits in the past. At first he had been nearly entranced by her beauty, but after spending five minutes with her the feeling wore off. She was incredibly vain and narcissistic, and she treated her servants like dirt. Sanji didn't like people who treated other people badly just because their jobs were different. Therefore he had been rather relieved when they had left. Also, Alvida had been eying him a little too much, and it was uncomfortable.  
Sanji mused on these thoughts for a bit. Alvida hadn't always been the queen there. His parents told him that there used to be another queen, but she had died when Sanji was a toddler, and the king married Alvida shortly after. Then two years ago the king had died, leaving Alvida in charge. Supposedly the first queen had given birth to a princess, but after she died and Alvida stepped in the princess vanished from public eye. Many people considered her dead, most likely at the hands of Alvida. Sanji sighed; it was such a waste of a good princess.  
Sanji could have gone on in this vein for a lot longer, but something caught his eye. Peeping over the castle wall was the top of a tangerine tree, bearing what looked like extremely delicious tangerines. Now, another of Sanji's little-known hobbies was cooking, and those tangerines looked perfect for a sauce or a cake. Sanji grinned; all he had to do was to shimmy over that wall, pick a few tangerines, then slip back out again. He could do it quickly and efficiently, without anybody seeing him. He took a few conspiratory glances around him, and then with a kick from his powerful legs he jumped over the top of the wall. Unfortunately he forgot about the drop down, and landed with an audible thump.  
  
**  
Nami was about to lower the bucket into the large stone well, when her sensitive ears picked up a thump and a muffled curse. Her eyes narrowed. Thieves perhaps? She gripped the bucket tightly, prepared to use it as a weapon if necessary. She wished she had her bo with her; it would be a lot better.  
The tangerine tree in front of her rustled, and she stiffened. She peered through the leaves and could make out patches of black cloth and blonde hair. "Who's there?" she called out, holding the bucket at the ready just in case.  
Behind the tree Sanji froze. Caught like a rat holding the tangerine! He peeked through the bushes to see who had caught him, and was rewarded with the sight of a VERY pretty girl. Although she was dressed in a maid's lowly clothing, it couldn't hide her magnificent orange hair, or her beautiful amber eyes. Sanji's preoccupation with the opposite sex took over his sense of precaution.  
"Aaaah! What a sight love has bestowed upon me! You are truly the most beautiful creature I have ever seen!" he cried as he raced to the well she was standing at.  
Nami blinked. She had expected either a desperate beggar or a slimy thief. Instead she was presented with a rather suave looking blonde guy in a suit who was making extravagant advances on her. Part of her was rather embarrassed, not being used to being showered with praises. The other part of her was a bit befuddled and rather amused, as the young man was still going on strong in his compliments, leaning towards her from the other side of the well in an attempt to embrace her. He looked so completely besotted and silly that she doubted he was aware of his surroundings. In fact he was so up in the clouds that he didn't realize he was starting to lean precariously too far over the edge of the well . . .. "Hey! Look out!" she cried dropping the bucket.  
"Eh?" he said as he momentarily came out of his daze. But it was too late. Gravity worked its magic, dragging him over the edge of the well and into the water with a loud splash.  
Nami covered her face in embarrassment, but when she heard the young man splashing around she tentatively peeked over the edge. "Daijoubu?" she yelled down the well.  
He coughed and spluttered, but managed a croaky, "Hai." He mentally kicked himself for letting him make such an ass out of himself. He wouldn't be surprised if she didn't send down a rope or something. Hopefully he gazed upward, and saw that she was still looking down at him, chewing at her lip worriedly. His heart gave a leap.  
Nami temporarily forgot about the tangerines in her worry. He seemed all right, but it was a deep well nonetheless. "Hang on, I'll send down the rope!" she called.  
Sanji was grateful that she wasn't going to ditch him. When the rope came down he was even more surprised to hear her yell, "Do you want me to pull you up!?"  
He blinked. He didn't think there were many girls that would be strong enough to lift his whole weight. He wasn't exactly small for his age or anything. But maybe this would be a good time to show off. "No, just brace it so that it doesn't slide down any farther! I'll climb up myself!" When he felt the rope tighten he dried his hands as best he could, took a firm grip on the rope, and began to climb. Using mostly the strength in his legs, he was able to climb the rope fairly quickly. When he finally reached the top he drew a breath to launch into another of his tirades, but was stopped short when he saw the look on the girl's face. Her extremely worried look just added to her beauty. It made her eyes shine and glitter, enhancing her features so much that for one of the few times in his life, Sanji was speechless.  
Nami was experiencing a not-so-similar situation. The young man in front of her had lost his besotted look, which made him look a lot more normal and much cuter. Even though he was sopping wet, he was very good looking. His hair was blonde and glossy, and it hung over the left side of his face giving him a slightly mysterious look. Her eyes traveled over his face, and she noticed that his one visible eyebrow was curled at the end. When she took that and the fact that he was drenched into consideration, she did the only thing sensible. She began to giggle.  
Sanji snapped out of his daze and adopted a hurt look. "What's so funny?"  
Nami just giggled harder. "You're soaked! And your eyebrow!"  
Sanji's insides began to sizzle. Dammit, he knew his eyebrow was going to cause him trouble eventually. He had just hoped it would have been recognition, not blowing him his chance with a pretty girl. To avoid further embarrassment, he swung over the edge of the well and jumped off, and began to wring out his clothes. "I admit it's my fault that I fell into the well, but I can't help how my eyebrow looks. It's just the way I was born. Am I insulting you about your hair?"  
Nami's mood quickly switched to a low burn. "No, and you had better not, either."  
Sanji took the opportunity to turn things to his favor. 'Of course I wouldn't! Why would I insult such beautiful locks as man has never seen?!" he cried, kneeling in front of her adoringly.  
Nami rolled her eyes, but was secretly pleased. She didn't get her hair complimented often, at least not since her father died. Alvida had always hated it, saying it was the ugliest color she had ever seen, and didn't deserve to be in the same room with her own raven-colored hair. But her father had always loved it, saying her mother had given her her royal name because of it.  
The young man was starting to ramble off into another one of his tirades, so she decided to stop him short. "Okay, pal," she said putting her hands on her hips and giving him a stern glare. "Who are you and why were you stealing MY tangerines?"  
Sanji gulped. Not only did he have to explain why he was taking this beautiful girl's tangerines, he had to avoid coming out in the open! "I'm, uh, well, I'm . . .." he stuttered. His mind raced trying to think of either an evasion or a suitable pseudonym. "I'm . . . . .Mr. Prince!" he said quickly to avoid further suspicion.  
Nami nearly fell over. "Mr. Prince? Are you serious?" she asked incredulously.  
Sanji cursed inwardly, but he couldn't go back now. Had to stick with the lie. "Yes, that's my name. I can't control what I'm named either, and I don't want to bother changing it. And may I ask your name, radiant maiden?"  
  
Nami wasn't sure she believed this guy, but decided to roll with it. He wouldn't believe her if she told him her real name anyway. "I'm Nami. And I'll ask you one more time. What. Were. You. Doing. With. MY. Tangerines?"  
"Your tangerines? Well, you see, I'm, ah, a cook!" he said, groping around for an excuse. "I saw your tangerines from the other side of the castle wall, and they looked so delicious that I just HAD to have a few for my ingredients." Well, that part was the truth anyway. "You must take excellent care of them for them to look this good."  
Nami preened for a minute, obviously pleased. But, business was business. "I'm glad you think so. But that doesn't excuse you for taking them without permission."  
He adopted a hurt puppy face that Nami found hard to resist. Damn, this guy was good. "Well, I suppose you can have them. As long as you ask," she said resignedly.  
Sanji, or Mr. Prince as he was going by now, immediately perked up. "Of course, of course! In that case, o fair one, may I please have a few of your tangerines?"  
Nami awarded him a gracious smile and replied, "Yes, you may. They would just go to feed Alvida's greedy gut anyway."  
Mr. Prince blinked, then asked, "Are you not fond of the queen, then?"  
Nami's features hardened, giving her a steely and ruthless look. "I like her about as much as I would gangrene. I don't serve her by choice. I have nowhere else to go. I'm stuck here. Even if I tried to run away, she'd just track me down and drag me back." The weight of these words began to lean on her, and as she bowed her head she felt the tears welling up again. She held them back resolutely, but wasn't able to hide her suffering posture from her audience.  
Sanji at first was incredulous. What kind of power did Alvida hold over this poor girl? Did her family owe her a debt or something? In any case, watching her suffering silently like this was more than he could bear. With a swift motion with one hand he grabbed her arm and with the other he pulled her chin up to look him in the eye. When he saw the hurt in her eyes he felt a strong desire to go and kick Alvida in the face, but first things first. He had to cheer Nami up.  
"I don't know what the situation is, but nobody can ever tell you what to do. You don't strike me as the meek and mild type. I know that if you found the chance you could get away from here. All you have to do is try."  
Nami just shook her head, fighting his hold on her. "You don't understand! How can you understand?"  
He merely tightened his grip on her. "Nami, don't you owe it to yourself to find happiness? Even if it means risking your life to escape from Alvida? Nobody's future is preordained. You have to forge it for yourself, and that includes finding happiness. Besides," he said with a silly grin, "I highly doubt that a girl as beautiful and intelligent as you could ever befall unto harm."  
Nami stared at him, speechless. Here was a complete stranger she barely knew, and yet here he was standing in front of her telling her everything that she had ever wanted to hear. She smiled; it was so ridiculous, but she couldn't help but laugh. And as she did, the tears poured down her cheeks.  
  
Chapter 1 Owari.  
  
Author's note: How was it? Too sappy? Too fluffy? Not fluffy enough? Mwahahahaha, I love me some fluff. But, in any case, I hope you enjoyed the first chapters. Next time! We see what Alvida's been doing while this little gem of a conversation has been going on, and we are introduced to our next character: Buggy, Alvida's loyal and gold-digging hunter! 


	3. Ch 2: The Queen and Her Loyal Hunter

Disclaimer: Maybe if I tattooed it on my body people would see that I don't own One Piece? I would hope so.  
  
Chapter 2: The Queen and Her Loyal Hunter  
  
While Sanji and Nami were having their little moment, Alvida was in her sleeping quarters deep within the castle. Nobody was allowed in there unless she invited them in, not even the maids. The reason for this was very simple: Alvida kept something very precious in there that she didn't want anybody to see, much less steal. Hanging over her vanity was a very old mirror. However, it wasn't an ordinary mirror. It was an enchanted mirror, and it was the main source of Alvida's power other than her Devil Fruit. It always told the truth, and allowed her to see anything in the world at any time. She mainly used it for spying on her wretched little stepdaughter. She also used it for an ego booster. She would constantly ask it who was the fairest of them all, although knowing full well that she was. She just liked hearing it again and again and again. On this day, however, she got a bit of a shock.  
While primping at her vanity, she felt an urge to hear those words again. She rapped smartly on the glass, and then barked, "Mirror! Come to me!"  
On the mirror's surface appeared the face of a young boy with pink hair and large glasses. A very frightened and somewhat abused young boy. "Eheh, yes, oh beautiful one?"  
Alvida smiled conceitedly and asked, "Mirror mirror, on the wall, who in all the four seas is the fairest of them all?"  
The mirror looked absolutely terrified, and it squeaked out, "M-my apologies, oh great queen. Though thou art fair and wondrous, 'tis true, there exists another who is fairer than you."  
Alvida's mask of graciousness and confidence quickly dissolved, leaving in its place a look of pure fury. "What is this!? How dare you! You dare to say there is somebody more beautiful than me!?"  
The mirror was quaking in its frame, but stayed on its hanging. "I c- cannot tell a lie, oh mistress fair. But there does exist a maiden more beautiful, a girl with orange hair."  
Alvida's eyes blazed like a firey inferno, and she cried, "You cannot mean Nami! That little brat doesn't have an ounce of the beauty that I do!"  
The mirror really was shaking now, but answered dutifully. "Y-y-yes, exquisite mistress! The one I speak of is Tangerine Orange, the hidden princess."  
Alvida grabbed a brush from her vanity and brandished it at the hapless mirror. "You had better not be doing this for kicks, you stupid mirror!"  
The mirror squealed and hid its face. "Please don't break me, o fairest queen that I see! It would only bring seven years bad luck upon thee!"  
Alvida let out her breath in a violent huff, but replaced the brush. "This can't be happening. Mirror! Show me where Nami is, right now!"  
The mirror reappeared, looking slightly relieved. "As you wish, oh beautiful queen." Its surface clouded white for a moment, then wiped clear to show Nami standing by the well in the tangerine grove, with a handsome, blonde young man holding her.  
Although seemingly impossible, Alvida's anger doubled. First she hears that she's not as beautiful, but now the little tart was seeing boys behind her back! That was unforgivable. If there were any handsome, young, eligible men in the kingdom, they should come to her first! And if her eyes weren't deceiving her, that boy was the prince of the neighboring kingdom; the one whom she had been graciously attentive to, but he had brushed her off. Extremely unforgivable!  
"So, the little wretch is conspiring with that prince, eh? Trying to find an ally to overthrow me, is she? I won't allow it! I've dallied with this for too long. It's time to take out that god-forsaken tramp for all and good!"  
  
**  
  
Nami allowed herself to be held by the strange young man until her tears ran out. It was a strange feeling. Normally Nami hated to let anybody see her cry, but she felt oddly comfortable with this boy. It was like being with him let our all her bottled up feelings and let her be refreshed. Being held by him gave her a warm, safe feeling that she was so unused to experiencing. She sighed and leaned her head on his chest, feeling content for the first time in years.  
Sanji stood stock still, fearing that a muscle twitch would upset the fragile creature he was holding. He was basking in the glow of the knowledge that he was comforting her, and loving every minute of it. It was strange. Although he loved all beautiful specimens of the opposite sex, none of them made him want to comfort them or stay with them always. It had always been a physical attraction. But this . . . this was like he was connecting with her on a deeper level. It was like he was sharing a bit of his essence with her, this girl whom he had never met before.  
The girl finally made the first move and shifted her weight so she could look him in the eye. Her eyes finally dry, she smiled beatifically at him. "Thank you."  
He blinked. "For what? I was just doing what anybody should do when somebody is suffering."  
She shook her head slightly and said, "There are so many people who wouldn't and never do that. Nobody's certainly done that for me in a long time."  
He smiled at her and said, "Maybe if you got away from here you could find more people who would do that for you."  
She lowered her eyes uncertainly, then looked at him with slight desperation. "Do you really think I could escape from here?"  
"Well, I've only known you for a few minutes, but right away you struck me as the type of girl who can do anything if she tries. And you're certainly not getting any happier staying here, are you?"  
Nami mulled this over in her head for a minute. He was right, she wasn't. She had tried to kill Alvida several times, but never tried escaping herself. Maybe it was time to find a different future.  
Sanji meanwhile was trying to muster up the courage to ask the girl to come with him. He wasn't sure why, and he knew that he'd get in trouble for it, but he wanted to be with this girl to make sure she was safe. But before he could speak an ear-splitting scream cut through the air.  
"NAAAAAAMMIIIII!!! Get here right this instant! If you don't I'll come myself and burn down your tangerine trees!"  
Sanji cursed the old hag a thousand times inwardly, but reluctantly pulled away from her. "It looks like I'll have to split. But I'll see you again, Nami! I promise! And don't forget what I said!" he cried as he ran back to the wall and started to climb it.  
Nami was momentarily frozen but snapped out of it when she saw the young man running away from her. "Wait, Mr. Prince! How can you be sure to find me?"  
"I just will!" he called over his shoulder as he dropped over the wall.  
Nami stood there motionless, trying to figure out what just happened, but another shriek from Alvida brought her back to reality. "Damn it, I am seriously going to get rid of you one day, you bothersome old hag!" she swore as she trudged into the castle.  
  
**  
  
Alvida had called one of her most loyal and skilled hunters before her. A thoroughly disreputable man with a large red nose, named Buggy. He too had eaten a Devil Fruit, and was extremely useful. His love of treasure had made him easy to buy, and he was also too stupid to be a threat to her. Hence why she was very fond of him.  
"Buggy, I just called for our little tramp. When she arrives I want you to take her to another island to look for herbs. At least, we'll tell her that. Once you get there and her guard is down, I want you to kill her!"  
Buggy grinned maliciously, then looked puzzled. "But why do you want her killed, o beautiful queen? I thought you enjoyed torturing her."  
She swatted him over the head with her fan and hissed, "Does it matter why I want her dead?! Just kill her and be done with it! And bring me back her heart as proof! We can let the rest of her body rot in the forest."  
Not one to refuse his queen or pass up a chance to have some fun, Buggy twirled one of his daggers effortlessly and said, "It's as good as done, oh queen."  
Nami walked into the throne room and looked at her stepmother and Buggy with concealed contempt. Alvida and Buggy had been talking, that probably wasn't a good thing. "You shrieked, my queen?" she asked through clenched teeth.  
Alvida smiled at her with all the warmth of an iceberg and said, "Nami, we are in need of medicinal herbs. I want you to go to a neighboring island to collect them for me. I shall send Buggy along as a bodyguard in case of trouble."  
That did it. They were definitely planning something. Nami worked the wheels inside her head quickly, trying to think of a way to get out of this. Then Mr. Prince's words came back to her. I know that if you found the chance you could get away from here. This was a good chance for her to get away, and she wasn't going to waste it. Still, if Buggy was coming along she would have to be crafty.  
"I shall do as you say, my queen. But before we go may I go to my room to get my cloak and bag? I shall need them if I'm going to pick herbs."  
Alvida waved her fan at her nonchalantly and said, "Do as you please. But hurry! I want these herbs as soon as possible!"  
Nami nodded then quietly spirited out of the room, heading down to her own tiny room in the maid's quarters.  
Once she had left Alvida leaned down and hissed at Buggy, "Remember! Bring me back her heart and don't fall for any of her little tricks!"  
Down in her room Nami dumped a bunch of her things into a bag, then searched in the back of her wardrobe for something her mother had left her. She would need it if she was going to get away from Buggy.  
  
**  
  
Once they had come ashore on a large island, it didn't take much time to find a clearing full of medicinal plants. Nami bent down and pretended to be industrially picking herbs, waiting for when Buggy would strike.  
Buggy watched her carelessly, picking his teeth with one of his daggers. He supposed that now would be a good time to kill her and get it over with. He detached his hand from his wrist and sent it flying at her unprotected back.  
Nami sensed the flow of rushing air, and quickly dodged to the side. As she had suspected, Buggy had used his Devil Fruit powers in hopes to catch her off guard. Well, that wasn't going to happen. She dashed to the other side of the clearing and held up her hands to ward off another attack. "Please wait! Don't kill me!"  
Buggy's hand reattached itself with a snap, and he gave her a bloodthirsty grin. "Sorry, girlie. Queen's orders, and I have to pay up."  
Nami fell to her knees and tried to put on a good performance. "Please! Don't kill me! I can pay you for your silence!"  
He stopped in mid-throw of a dagger, his eyes lighting up. "Pay me? With what?"  
She cast her eyes downward and reached a hand inside her sleeve. "With this." She brought out a beautiful ruby pendant, embedded in wrought gold. "Th-this is the last heirloom my mother left me. I'll let you have it if you'll let me live and tell Alvida that I'm dead."  
Buggy's eyes were going wild at the sight of the ruby, but he refrained from taking it. "But I'm supposed to bring back your heart as proof. What am I supposed to do about that?"  
Nami grit her teeth, cursing Alvida for actually thinking of obtaining evidence. "Then you can kill a boar or something and take its heart! Just please, let me live, and this pendant is yours!"  
The cogs in Buggy's head turned (albeit very slowly), but he finally nodded. "All right, girlie, it's a deal. But you'd better not come back to the kingdom ever again! Alvida'll have my head if she knows you're alive!"  
She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You have my word! I never want to see the kingdom again anyway!" She threw the pendant down at her feet, and then sped off into the forest to get as far away from Buggy before he could change his mind.  
Buggy giggled gleefully and he picked up the sparkling piece of treasure. This sure was an added bonus to the job! And he hadn't even had to taken the trouble of killing the girl!  
  
**  
  
Nami ran through the forest like a deer running from certain death. But in her mind she was exulting. I did it! I got away! Did you see, Mr. Prince? I escaped! And I'm never going back! As she ran she thanked her lucky stars that Buggy was too stupid to realize that he could have just killed her and taken the pendant from her dead body.  
  
** Author's notes: For those of you who aren't aware, Buggy's Devil Fruit is the BaraBara Fruit (BitsBits Fruit). It allows him to detach pieces of his body and fly them around. And if he gets sliced up he simply pulls himself together again.  
Alvida's Devil Fruit is the SubeSube Fruit (SlipSlip Fruit). It gives her frictionless skin, so any weapon that comes in contact with it just slides off. Hence why none of Nami's assassination attempts worked.  
Oh, and did you catch the little cameo? Yep! That's Coby as Alvida's Mirror! I figured he be best suited for the job, since he's used to praising and sucking up to Alvida.  
Next time! We talk with Sanji again, and see just where he stands in his kingdom. AND! We get to meet our "dwarves"! D Mwahahahaha! 


	4. Ch 3: The Cottage in the Woods

Disclaimer: I swear on oath of blood that I do not own anything from Eiichiro Oda's One Piece . . . . . . . . Owwwwwwwwwwww.  
  
Chapter 3: The Cottage in the Woods  
  
Nami ran until her feet wouldn't take her any farther. She collapsed, heaving great gasps, but she felt elated. She had run a great distance, and she was now sure that Buggy wasn't following her. She felt wonderfully open and unrestrained, but at the same time was wary. Alvida wasn't stupid, and she had odd ways of spying on her. Which was why she had to find someplace to take shelter, and soon. She looked around her, but saw nothing but dense forest. Though the island was large, so far she had seen nothing but trees, clearings, and bushes. If she couldn't find a house she would have to make something for shelter, and as her stomach was reminding her she needed to find food as well. The rations she had brought with her would last for only a short while. Wearily she pulled herself to her feet and continued on, though she no longer had the strength to run. She trudged one foot after the other, trying to convince herself that SOMEBODY must live on an island this large. Just when she felt like she was going to collapse again, she emerged in a clearing.  
Nami gave a sigh of relief, for in the middle of the clearing was a cottage. It looked a little worse for the wear, but it was large. Behind it through the trees she could see the sparkle of the ocean. "Great, I come to a huge island and the only house on it is on the other freaking side," she muttered.  
She approached the cottage wearily, but when she peered in the window it was obviously apparent that nobody was there. It didn't look like anybody had been there in a long time. She tried the door, but it was locked. Not like that mattered to a girl who had been practicing the art of thievery in a castle for years! Smiling to herself, Nami pulled a hairpin from her hair and expertly picked the lock. When the door swung creakily open, she was awarded with a rather deplorable sight. The whole inside was covered in dust nearly half an inch thick, and much of the furniture had been turned over. The table was strewn with remnants of old meals, and the sink was piled ceiling high with dirty dishes. She sighed. 'Why can't the houses I break into be a little more glamorous?' she thought to herself.  
However, Nami couldn't very well let a princess like herself live in such filth. She had enough of that when she was living with Alvida. She rolled up her sleeves with a determined look, and set about to her work.  
  
**  
  
Red Haired Shanks was the captain of a very, ahem, interesting pirate crew. He liked them well enough though, and they were excellent in a fight, all of them. He just wished they were better housemates . . . . .  
"I'm telling you, you stupid little monkey, when we get back home it's YOUR turn to do the dishes!"  
"I dun wanna! And it's Usopp's turn, Smokey!"  
"Don't call me that!"  
"You sound like the squawking of geese! Try to sound a little more like the graceful honking of swans, my fellow blossoms!"  
"I think they'd rather be geese than swans . . .."  
"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . .."  
"Hey, Zoro's asleep again."  
"Forget it Chopper, we'll just drag him back to the ship."  
"I DON'T WANNA DO THE DISHES!!!!"  
Shanks sighed mournfully. Ah, if only there was a nice girl to keep things under control. A captain could only do so much . . ..  
"All right, gentlemen-"  
"AHEM!"  
"Sorry. Gentlemen and okama! Lets haul the booty together and head back to the ship! Time to sail home!"  
"AYE AYE CAPTAIN!"  
  
**  
  
Mr. Prince, better known as Sanji, was amiably ambling his way through the halls of his castle back home, not caring in the least that he was wet or that he was going to get yelled at. He had an absolutely wonderful afternoon with a beautiful girl, before that hag of a queen ruined it, and he had never felt more infatuated with anybody else in his life. Ah, he was on Cloud 9 today . . ..  
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, KUSO CHIBI-NASU!?"  
Ah yes, there was the anchor pulling him back down . . ..  
He scowled at the deliverer of the insult. "What do you want, kuso jiji?"  
A tall, imposing man with a peg leg and a braided mustache was stalking towards Sanji with a thundercloud on his face, a look he used often on his errant grandson. "What I WANT is to know where the hell you've been. You've missed countless appointments and lessons, not to mention the stacks of documents that are waiting for you on your desk! A prince can't just get up and leave whenever the hell he feels like it! How in the great blue do you expect to become a great king if you have no RESPONSIBILITY!?" Sanji's scowl deepened to reflect that of his grandfather's. It looked like it was going to be a good scowling match today. "None of your goddamn business. And I have plenty of responsibility. If I didn't I'd have ditched this place the moment I could walk."  
The old man's mustache bristled as he growled, "I wouldn't talk like that. I shudder to think of what I did to deserve such a bastard of a grandson! I should sentence you to kitchen duty, maybe it would put some humility into your thick skull. And what the hell are you doing soaking wet?"  
"Hmph. Like being in the kitchen is such a punishment for me," Sanji leered at him. "As for my current state, again, it's none of your goddamn business. What I do when I go out has nothing to do with you."  
"No, it has EVERYTHING to do with me! Ever hear of such a thing as a reputation? I'm trying to make sure you can ascend to the throne without conflict, but how can I do that when you're out flipping the skirt of every girl you pass?!"  
Sanji growled at him menacingly. "I do NOT flip the skirt of every girl I pass. I'm more of a gentleman than that."  
"Then start ACTING like one, you asshole!" he barked. "I swear, if I didn't have this peg leg I'd - "  
"Your majesty! King Zeff!" a courtier called as he ran up the hall.  
Zeff and Sanji let their breath out in one violent huff, then Zeff turned to face the man with what dignity he could muster. "What is it?"  
The courtier coughed nervously, sensing the tension in the air. "Ah, er, a messenger from Alabasta has arrived. He wishes to deliver his message to you directly."  
"Finally! That damn Cobra is so slow with his messengers. I'll see him in the throne room shortly. Go tell him." Zeff dismissed him with a wave of his hand, before turning back to face his surly companion.  
Sanji glared at him suspiciously with his visible eye. "Another messenger from Alabasta? You've been talking with them quite a lot recently. Something going on that I'm not aware of?"  
Zeff snorted and turned his back on him, walking towards the throne room. "Not like you care, but I may have just procured a marriage for you."  
"A WHAT?! You can't be serious!" Sanji cried in alarm.  
Zeff refused to look at him but kept walking. "Yes, I am. If you're going to be king, you need a wife. And this would also provide us with an alliance with Alabasta. Besides, what's the problem? I thought you were crazy about girls."  
"It's not that - "  
"Then quit griping about it. Go get changed so you can come meet this messenger. I want you looking halfway decent. So get going, Chibi-Nasu." Zeff's tone was final as his steps echoed away on the marble floor.  
Sanji stood looking at the floor with his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "It's not that. But . . . . .how can I get married after meeting HER?"  
  
**  
  
Nami wiped the last of the sweat off her brow. It had taken a while, but the house was finally decent. She was amazed anybody could live like this. The people who lived here must have ditched the house in a hurry for some reason, or else they wouldn't leave it the way it was. Now utterly exhausted, she trudged upstairs to take a nap.  
Looking at the array of beds before her, she could only conclude that they had been an extremely ODD assortment of people. There were six beds arranged in two rows, with one bed at the front of the room. Each of them was different from the others, and none of them looked like something she would want to sleep in.  
One was so small that she couldn't even fit on it, let alone sleep on it. It looked like a child's bed, or maybe a doll's.  
Another was simple and practical enough, but it was littered with bits and pieces of junk. The sheets and pillows also had a few smears of grease on them, something Nami definitely didn't want to rest her head on.  
The third bed wasn't even a bed at all, but a very, VERY, well used hammock. It had sunk nearly to the floor, which would leave its occupant in a very uncomfortable position. Only a narcoleptic could sleep in it.  
The fourth bed was big enough and clear of junk, but it didn't look comfortable at all. It was hard and utilitarian, with no trace of softness whatsoever. Nami was surprised that its occupant had even bothered with a blanket.  
The fifth bed was normal, but it had been covered in crumbs. It looked as though entire meals had been eaten in it. She didn't want to be in any bed that could be growing things.  
The sixth bed, well, was just WEIRD. Unlike the other beds it was round with bright pink sheets that smelled ever so faintly of perfume. Its headboard was covered with glitter and feathers and ribbons. She wasn't sure she wanted to sleep in it simply for the sake of taste.  
Thankfully the seventh bed at the head of the two rows looked habitable. Large and comfortable, it looked like the sort of bed a person could appreciate when they were exhausted, or hung-over.  
With a relieved sigh Nami slowly crawled in, bringing the blankets over her head as she snuggled in. After the day she had been through, she was glad she could rest at last. As she drifted off to sleep she didn't even remember that she had forgotten to lock the door . . ..  
  
**  
  
"Hey Shanks, I'm hungry!" whined a black-haired young man with a straw hat and a scar under one eye.  
The charismatic captain grinned at him and replied, "Sure, if you don't mind eating burnt stuff! You know I can't cook!"  
"Awwww! Then what are we going to do about dinner?"  
"Figure that out for yourself, dumbass. None of us are good cooks," muttered a green-haired young man who sat polishing three swords.  
"Hmph. I'm amazed we can even map the trails to islands we've been to. We get by with minimum navigation," grunted a tall, muscular man with white hair, who leaned against the railing inhaling on two cigars.  
"It would help if we had a good navigator or cartographer," agreed a curly-haired young man with a long nose, who was engaged in tinkering with a chemistry set.  
"Gaaaaaahahahahahahahahaaa!! You little sillies! Flow like lilies, bend to the will of the wind, and a seed of happiness shall surely descend upon us!" screamed a crazily dressed man, uh, woman, uh, thing who was twirling pirouettes around Shanks.  
"Um, I hate to admit it, but Bon has a point," said Shanks, scratching his chin. "We should stop griping about it, something will show up."  
The white-haired man nearly bit his cigars in two. "Why the hell are you agreeing with that pansy for!?"  
"Gyaaaaaahh!! I am a lily I tell you, not a common garden pansy!"  
"I'm agreeing because it's true. Look, we're almost back home, let's just stop arguing about it, okay?" Shanks said with a silly grin on his face.  
"LAND HO!" screamed the black-haired boy, gripping the helm with boyish excitement. "Time to eat!"  
"Only if somebody bothers to cook dinner . . .."  
"YOU can cook dinner, beaky."  
"I don't want anything cooked by the shnoz. Can't we just order out?"  
"From where? I don't recall there being any delivery places on the island."  
"Fear not, my little signets! I shall cook a grand meal, the Ambiguous Banquet!"  
"NO."  
Shanks sighed. Ah, they never changed. Then again, he didn't expect them to change. They all continued to argue as the ship landed and they unloaded their cargo. He was used to it though. It was an ever-present background accompaniment to his life, like a musical track.  
"Let GO you goddamn ape!"  
Hmm, maybe not musical . . ..  
As the motley crew approached the cottage, Shanks tensed. Something wasn't the same. It wasn't a bad feeling, but nonetheless something was different. He grabbed the handle to the door and pulled. It wasn't locked. Somebody had been or WAS there.  
The black-haired boy, who was always sensitive to Shank's moods, asked warily, "What's wrong, Shanks? You're all tense."  
His continued to stare at the door. "Somebody's here."  
At those words the rest of the crew stopped bickering and tensed along with their captain.  
"So, what's the plan?" grunted the white haired man as he inhaled more deeply on his cigars.  
"We go in and see who our visitor is," replied Shanks. Cautiously he opened the door and peeked in, then nearly had a heart attack.  
The inside was CLEAN.  
"Woooooowwww! The house cleaned itself!"  
"Stupid monkey, a house can't clean itself," snarled the white haired man. "Somebody's been tidying up without us."  
"Does this mean I don't have to do the dishes?"  
Shanks cut them off with a wave of his hand. "Just because somebody cleaned doesn't mean that they had the best intentions. Chopper, do you smell anything?"  
The little anthropomorphic reindeer that was hiding (badly) behind the boy with the long nose tentatively sniffed the air. "There's somebody here alright, but it smells . . . female."  
"WHAAAAAAAATTT!?" the rest of the crew  
"How the hell did a girl get in here!?"  
"Where there even any girls at all on this island?"  
"Gyaaahhh!! A female to challenge my ambiguity!"  
"A girl is the last thing this crazy cottage needs!"  
"No. . . .."Shanks said slowly. "A girl is EXACTLY the thing this cottage needs. Now shut up all of you and search the house! It's likely she's still here."  
Not to disobey their captain, the men slowly searched the house, at the same time marveling at its state. Shanks advanced ahead of them and began to ascend the stairs to the bedroom. He went forward steadily, trusting in his own strength and not sensing any malice. When he saw the beds he noted that none of them had been disturbed, except for his. The lump under the blankets that moved slowly up and down showed clearly that somebody was in his bed. With one hand on his sword he cautiously approached the bed, then with his other hand he tentatively pulled the blankets back.  
He was rewarded with the sight of the head of a young girl, covered in tangerine tresses. Completely immersed in sleep, she looked positively angelic. Shanks suppressed the urge to shout with glee, as not to wake her.  
  
Unfortunately some other members of his crew didn't have the same restraint.  
"HEEEEEEYYYYYY!!!! IT IS A GIRL!!!"  
The black-haired boy was leaning over Shanks' shoulder, grinning like a loon. Shanks wasn't sure if he wanted to strangle him or pound his head on the floor. Sadly his cry had done two things. It attracted the rest of the crew upstairs, and it woke up the girl.  
Nami opened her eyes slowly and was greeted with the sight of a circle of faces looking down intently at her. So she did the only thing natural: she screamed.  
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!"  
Her piercing scream cut through all of their heads like a knife, causing them all to grab their ears and dart back. The strange girl pulled the covers up around her like a shield and cried, "Who the hell are you people!?"  
"Ahem. That, I believe, should be our question," said Shanks as he approached the bed with his best smile. "If you would be so kind to tell us who you are, we would be very appreciative."  
"Yeah! So tell us already!" yelled the black haired boy whose grin seemed to fill up his whole face.  
Nami looked slowly at all the faces around her. The red haired man and black haired boy were smiling at her, but the others were different. The white haired man was scowling, the green haired young man looked pensive, and the boy with a ridiculously long nose was trying to look imposing but was failing miserably. Also in the room was a crazily dressed man whom Nami had to look at twice to make sure he really was wearing what he was wearing, and if her eyes didn't deceive her there was an anthropomorphic reindeer who looked absolutely terrified and was clutching the coat of the red haired man.  
She blinked several times to try and collect her thoughts. This was undoubtedly the weirdest thing that had ever happened to her. On the one hand, she wasn't sure she wanted to live with a bunch of weirdoes like this, on the other hand, she had no place to go. This was as good a place as any.  
"My name is Nami. And please, I didn't mean to break into your house. But I have nowhere else to go. Please, don't send me away! I can cook, clean, whatever! Just please let me stay here!" she cried, putting on her best "helpless little girl" look.  
"Hmm . . ." Shanks mused as he gazed at her steadily. "Well, we really could use a housekeeper - "  
"Captain! Are you nuts!?" the white haired man growled. "This place is crazy enough without a girl around."  
"I agree," said the green haired young man. "Girls are just distracting."  
Nami cursed inwardly and tried to think of something else to convince them. "I can do more than cook and clean! I can make maps and - "  
"MAPS!?" they all cried. The red haired man looked immensely pleased and smiled at his more surly companions. "There you have it. We need a person to make maps from our voyage data, and she's right here in front of us! All she asks for in return is room and board. Besides, maybe having a girl around would clear up those storm clouds on your faces."  
If anything their storm clouds got darker, but Shanks ignored it and turned back to the girl. "It just so happens we are in need of both a housekeeper and a cartographer. As you might imagine a house full of bachelors isn't too clean, and unfortunately none of us are skilled in map making, which makes it a bit difficult on our voyages."  
She blinked in surprise and said, "Voyages? Do you go out to sea often then?"  
He smiled brilliantly and said, "Yep. We just so happen to be pirates. This cottage is our base of operations, so to speak."  
Nami leaned back in fear and suspicion. "Pirates? You never mentioned that. I'm not sure I'll accept now."  
"Oh no! Not that kind of pirate!" he exclaimed waving his hands. "It is true we go out and pillage, but we're not villains of any sort! We only attack other pirate ships and anybody we think is unfavorable! I can promise you that you will be absolutely safe in this house, and none of us will lay a finger on you."  
Nami looked at him skeptically, but then the black haired boy shoved his face in front of her and cried, "It's true! We won't hurtcha! C'mon, let's be friends! Nakama!"  
Nami's sensible side still wasn't sure, but the boy seemed just so sincere and straightforward that she couldn't help but smile. "Well, I suppose. It's like I said, I have nowhere else to go."  
"WAHOOOO!!!" the boy yelled, as he started literally bouncing off the walls. While he continued to bounce Shanks cleared his throat and smiled again at the now thoroughly confused girl.  
"You'll have to excuse my friend, he's a little hyper. Now, I haven't introduced my crew or myself yet. I am known as Red Haired Shanks, the captain of this motley little crew. This - " he pointed at the black haired boy who was still bouncing, "is Luffy, our resident hyperactive kid and my protégé. He's not quite normal, as you may have guessed. He ate a devil fruit in his past."  
"Devil fruit?" Nami gasped. "One of those legendary fruits?"  
"Yes. He ate the GomuGomu fruit, which gave him a rubber body. Hence why he's bouncing. And this -" he pointed at the white haired man with the scowl, "is Smoker, my first mate. Ignore his demeanor; he's a lot softer than you think. He too ate a devil fruit. The MokuMoku fruit, which gives him the ability to become smoke. Very useful in a fight."  
"This," he indicated the reindeer who was clutching him fiercely, "is Chopper, our doctor. He used to be a reindeer, but he ate the HitoHito fruit, giving him the ability to turn into a human. Or, at least, a reindeer-human."  
"That," he now pointed at the green haired young man who was holding three swords, "is Zoro, our swordsman. Would you believe that he actually uses all three of those swords at once? It's actually quite a sight. He's a lot nicer than he looks too."  
"This fellow," he pointed to the young man with a ridiculously long nose, "is Usopp. He is our Sharpshooter, excellent aim. He also doubles as an engineer and repairman, and any little cleaning that gets done here is usually done by him."  
"And last, but certainly not least, is Bon Clay," he said with a grand wave of his arm at the crazily dressed person. "I know he looks a bit weird, but there's no better okama in the universe! His official position is our spy, since his ManeMane fruit powers allow him to take different appearances."  
Nami tried not to sway from side to side as she took all this in. The odd assortment of beds was starting to make a bit more sense. Could she have possibly fallen in with a weirder bunch of people? They were all grinning at receiving praise from their captain, although Smoker and Zoro still looked rather surly. Living here was going to be a challenge.  
"Now then," Shanks said as he took off his straw hat and sat down on the edge of the bed with more familiarity. "We've told you who we are and what we do, now how about you? Anything you'd like to tell us?"  
"Like WHY you have no place to return to." snapped Smoker as he inhaled on his two cigars.  
Nami froze. "Wh-why?" This was bad. She couldn't tell them the truth; they'd try and use her to pillage the kingdom. But what would happen to her if they found out she lied?  
  
Ch. 3 Owari.  
  
** Translation notes: Kuso - shitty, damn Chibi-Nasu - little eggplant, Zeff's nickname for Sanji Jiji - slang for old man GomuGomu - gumgum/rubberrubber MokuMoku - PuffPuff HitoHito - HumanHuman ManeMane - CoppyCopy  
  
Author's Note: Wow, sorry for the cliffhanger. But this chapter was getting too long anyway. I know Shanks might seem a bit OOC, but this isn't the normal One Piece scenario. I've written him slightly like Shigure from Fruits Basket, cause if OP were ever to do Fruits Basket, you know Shanks would be Shigure! I'll try and make him more Shanks like in the future, now that they've gotten the formal introductions taken care of. What did you think of the crew assignments? Some are still the same, but I had to change a few. I think Smoker would be the best first mate for Shanks, since he's used to taking charge and bossing people around. The only position for Bon Clay that I could think of was spy, since that's what his powers are suited for. As for Luffy, he already is sort of like Shanks' protégé. I'll expand on him more later. I'll expand on all of the "dwarves", since I plan to give them each their own day with Nami.  
As for the Devil fruits, I used the Japanese names for them, since some of their English translations sound odd.  
Next time! Nami is forced with the decision of whether or not to reveal her past to her new friends, Alvida discovers that her plan didn't work, and the jaws of the trap known as arranged marriage start to close around Sanji. 


	5. Ch 4: A New Family

Disclaimer: If I own One Piece or anything related to therein, then let my readers be struck by pestilence!  
  
Chapter 4: A New Family  
  
Nami found her tongue frozen solid as she stared at the rag-tag group of pirates whose house she had so conveniently broken into. She realized quite well that she was completely at their mercy, and one wrong word would have her kicked out of the house, or worse. She wasn't sure that any story, even the truth, would be enough to convince these pirates to let her stay in the house. She also didn't exactly look the part of a princess, after living as a maid for so many years, and everyone thought that she was dead. If these pirates had ever been to her kingdom, which was likely, then they were apt to think she was dead too. However, she absolutely had to stay in this house, as she had nowhere else to go, and no way of getting off the island. For one of the few times in her life, she was without an idea, or a plan.  
The pirates in the room were getting more and more restless as they watched her in anticipation, and the white-haired man looked as though he could very well chuck her out the window right then. Nami was becoming more and more desperate, but she still balked at the idea of telling them the whole story. But as soon as she thought this Mr. Prince's words came back to her. "All you have to do is try." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. He was right. She had made the decision of her own conviction to escape the kingdom, even if that meant taking risks. She opened her eyes and looked each of the pirates evenly in the eye, until she locked eyes with Shanks.  
"My story is rather long, and a bit unbelievable, but if you are willing to listen to me, I will tell you everything."  
Shanks looked at her calmly for a moment, then nodded and leaned back. "Very well, we'll listen. And from the looks of things, I can tell it is going to be very interesting."  
Nami breathed a small sigh of relief, then noticed that the rest of the pirates had followed suit and made themselves comfortable on their respective beds. Encouraged by this, she took a deep breath and began.   
  
Sanji was thoroughly pissed. "Disconsolate" or "out-of-sorts" might have been nicer terms for it, but he admitted to himself that "thoroughly pissed" sounded closer to what he felt. Following his spat with his grandfather, he had changed out of his wet clothes into the clothes that had been laid out for him on his bed, only to be summoned immediately afterwards to the throne room where his grandfather was meeting with the messenger from Alabasta. As he stalked down the hallway the guards and servants beat hasty retreats in the wake of the scowling, unsteady-looking prince.  
Sanji walked briskly into the throne room, brushing off the courtier who wanted to formally announce him. No reason to give the messenger any indication that he was going to be gracious about any of this.  
The messenger in question had just opened his scroll was reading off the contents to the peg-legged King.  
"To His Majesty King Zeff of the Kingdom of Baratie, we wish you good tidings. Following our previous liaisons, we agree to the terms proposed by yourself and the Crown Prince. By uniting Princess Vivi and Prince Sanji in matrimony, we hope to solidify ties of peace and harmony between our prestigious kingdoms. In one month's time I shall bring my daughter to Baratie so that the ceremony may take place and the terms of peace agreed upon. Signed, Nefertari Cobra. King of Alabasta."  
The messenger closed the scroll with a snap, and then looked at the lounging King expectantly.  
Zeff merely snorted and said, "Short and precise as always, Cobra doesn't like wasting any more ink and parchment than he has to. Well, tell him that we agree, and will have the arrangements made in a month. Just make sure that he KEEPS to his promised date, or I'll reconsider the whole marriage."  
The messenger nodded nervously. "Yes, sire. And shall I include any words from the Crown Prince to her highness Princess Vivi?"  
"You can tell her that I think this whole charade is a joke and that I have no intention of marrying her."  
The messenger yelped and spun around to find Sanji standing directly behind him with an expression on his face that gave the impression that he could chew nails.  
"Tell her that none of this was decided with my permission or consultation, or with any consideration to my feelings or opinion, and that if they DO show up here in one month, then I will make sure that I am certainly not here!" he yelled into the face of the now cowering messenger.  
  
Zeff stood up, his face a mask of towering rage. "SANJI! Whatever the hell you think you're doing, stop it! This marriage WILL take place, whether you like it or not! So quit being such a freaking child!"  
Sanji turned his equally murderous glare from the messenger to look his grandfather squarely in the eye. "If this is being childish, then I shudder to think of what it means to be an adult. I am not some toy to be passed around as you like!" With that he stomped out of the room, leaving the others in stunned silence.  
The messenger turned back meekly to the King and asked, "Shall I add anything, sire?"  
Zeff let out his breath in an explosive huff, then settled back into his throne, "No, just forget it. And don't mention Sanji's outburst either. Just get the message to Cobra that we expect him in one month."  
The messenger nodded and quickly fled from the room, before he could be on the receiving end of any more shouting matches.  
Zeff sighed, and cast his eyes to the ceiling. He and Sanji were too alike for his own good, most notably their stubbornness. While it was a good trait sometimes to have in a king, it made dealing with a prince very difficult.  
Sanji rampaged through the halls back to his quarters, taking out his frustration on passing tables and chairs. When he reached his room he found two of the palace guards waiting by the door.  
"Prince! Are you trying to destroy the kingdom or something!? Why are you wasting a marriage opportunity like this!?"  
Sanji snorted with disdain. "Shut your trap, Patti. This is MY goddamn life, and I'll live it as I please. So quit repeating what that old man says and butt out."  
The large man sputtered and growled at being reprimanded, but his partner barged on. "King Zeff always says that this is for your sake! He wants you to be able to support this kingdom with your inheritance!"  
"Inheritance is a circumstance of birth, Carne. The kingdom is one thing, the marriage is another," Sanji replied. His patience was wearing very thin by now, so with no further ceremony he casually kicked the two offending guards out of his way and smartly slammed the door behind him.  
Once inside he tore off his formal clothes and changed into another black suit, which he viewed as more classy than any royal trappings they put on him. The fear that had been niggling at him for months now had finally grown into a major problem that hovered over his head like an impending storm cloud. The day before he might have given the marriage proposal a second's more thought, but after today he was adamant. He was NOT going to consider marriage with anybody, royalty or not, until he saw that girl again. He had told her that she should escape Alvida's clutches, and wanted to make sure that she had. Nobody deserved to be a maid under Alvida, for it was sure to drive her past the breaking point of insanity.  
With this resolution in mind, Sanji opened one of the windows in his room and agilely jumped down, heading back to the neighboring kingdom.   
  
As Nami finished telling her tale, she was surprised to see that all of the pirates were riveted to her. Well, with the exception of Zoro, who had fallen asleep. She looked apprehensively at each in turn, before again settling her eyes on the captain. "Well?" she challenged. "What do you plan to do now that you've heard my story?"  
Shanks stood up and looked up thoughtfully at the ceiling. When he looked back down he was smiling; a genuine, gratified kind of smile that Nami had seen so little of in her life as of late.  
"I plan to let you stay here, in return for your cartography skills and help around the house," he replied, before turning to the rest of his crew. "You guys got any problems with that!?"  
Luffy and Usopp shook their heads wildly, while Chopper shyly followed suit. Bon Clay looked so happy he looked like he was about to start dancing, and Smoker just scowled and remained silent. Zoro's snores answered for him.  
Shanks clapped a hand on Nami's shoulder. "It's decided then! Welcome to our rag-tag little bunch, Nami-chan!"  
Relief surged through Nami as she smiled in return. She did it! She had run away from Alvida and actually found a place to stay! She wasn't sure what to say, so she just looked at them all gratefully. But when Shanks suddenly frowned her enthusiasm waned a bit.  
"What concerns me though is the matter of this Alvida. We've sailed around a lot, so we've heard a good deal about her. From what I've heard, she's a nasty customer. Doesn't like not getting her way, and certainly hates it when people defy her or escape. Since we are pirates, we do have to go out to sea in order to conduct our business. This cottage is merely a base of sorts. We can't always be here to make sure nothing happens. Therefore, I am going to have to take precautions against this."  
Nami felt her heart sinking lower. "What kind of precautions? I can take care of myself while you are gone."  
Shanks nodded sagely, and ran a hand over his shallow beard. "I don't doubt that you're capable, but I must take a precaution nonetheless. Alvida IS a queen, after all. She has an almost infinite array of people at her command if she so wishes to deploy them. Therefore, when we must go off on one of our voyages, I will leave one or two of my men here behind in order to watch out for you." He said the latter part with a tone of finality that even Nami didn't want to challenge.  
Nami sighed and nodded, realize it was useless at this point to argue further. Still, even if he did agree to let her stay with them, this didn't seem like he was being very trusting of her. Even if what he said was partly true.  
Shanks noticed her crestfallen look, then smiled again. "Besides, I don't want my first-class cartographer and navigator to be put in any harm. If you want, think of this as a sort of insurance for my maps."  
She looked up at him sharply, and was unable to find any wavering in his eyes or his smile. She let out an explosive breath, and then extended her hand. "It's a deal, Captain Shanks."  
Shanks just grinned even more broadly, and accepted her handshake. "Excellent! Well then, this has all turned out great. I suggest we all turn in for the night, and tomorrow morning we can discuss your maps, and who is going to stay here first."  
Nami smiled in return. "That sounds like a good idea. Well, then, sleep tight, all." Smiling devilishly she lay back down on the bed and pulled the covers over her head before anybody could speak.  
"Hey, wait-"Shanks tried to object, but was answered only with soft breathing. He stood with his mouth slightly agape, while the rest of his pirate crew went about their business getting ready for bed. "Where am I supposed to sleep . . ."?  
"Don't worry, Captain-chan!" Bon Clay cried, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "You can bunk with little ole me tonight!"  
Shanks tried to stop himself from visibly twitching.   
  
Alvida gazed coolly at Buggy who had returned promptly from his mission, without Nami. "Is the job done, Buggy? I want no lies or half- truths!"  
"Flashily done, your highness. Wasn't much trouble at all," Buggy replied with a little flourish. But Alvida noticed that he wasn't meeting her eyes directly. Being somebody who was naturally suspicious and used to having her face gazed at often, a knot of worry began to twist in her stomach.  
"And? Did you bring back proof of her death?" she snapped. "Her heart? Eyes? Head, preferably? I must have proof!"  
Buggy held up a hand and said, "No need for hastiness, highness! I have her heart right here in this box." He held up the box in question as one might present a particularly nice gift.  
Alvida sighed in relief and then reached for it imperiously. "Well then? Give it here! I want to see it with my own eyes!" Buggy came forward, and then jumped back slightly when Alvida greedily snatched it from his hands. When Alvida opened the box she was rewarded with the sight of a recently removed heart. While Buggy recoiled slightly from the unseemly smell coming from it, Alvida simply sighed in pleasure and closed the lid lightly. "Now I can finally be at peace!" she cried.  
Tucking the box in her robes she swept from the room, ignoring Buggy and anyone else on the way to her chambers. Once inside she locked the doors and went immediately to her mirror.  
Rapping her knuckles quickly on the glass, she cried, "Mirror mirror on the wall, who in all the four blues is the fairest of them all!?"  
The face of the despondent mirror appeared, and to her surprise was quaking in more fear than usual. "T-though it pains me more than I c-can bear, t-t-th-thou are not the most wondrous fair!"  
Alvida started and gave the mirror her most piercing glare. "Impossible, you foolish mirror! Look here!" With that she opened the box with a flourish. "See this? This is the heart of Tangerine Orange, that stupid little girl who you said was more fair than I. And since this is her heart, she is dead! Therefore there can be nobody in the world who is more fair than me!"  
The mirror looked as though it wanted to die right then, but continued on. "Thou has been deceived, oh great Queen of lore. That is not the heart of the princess, but of a wild boar."  
The blood began to drain from Alvida's face and her hands quivered as she slowly closed the lid of the box. She turned slowly away from the mirror and was very still for a moment. Then giving an ear-piercing shriek she threw the box through the window, shattering the glass. She whirled around and grabbed the mirror by its sides and shook it wildly. "Tell me! Tell me, you idiot mirror! Where is she! I will find her and kill her if it is the last thing I do!"  
The mirror gave a shaky cry, and held up his hands to shield his face. In a quavering voice he answered, "T-the princess with orange hair lies in a forest beyond, under the protection of seven p-pirates, of whom she is most fond."  
Alvida hissed, then slowly released the mirror from her iron grip. She paced around the room a few times muttering to herself. "Pirates, that just complicates matters. Leave it to Nami to go around associating with boorish outlaws. I never even heard of pirates who stay in one place for too long." Turning around sharply she snapped her fingers at the mirror, which was still very rattled, and said, "Mirror! Tell me where this forest is, and when those pirates are going to leave. If they are any sort of pirates worth their mettle then they'll have to go out plundering eventually."  
The mirror hastily replied, "The forest of which you speak lies on the large island which is neighbor to your kingdom."  
Alvida arched one slim eyebrow. "That wasn't in verse."  
The mirror gulped and replied, "I have unfortunately run out of creativity for the day, o mistress! Please forgive the lack of poetry!"  
"Whatever. Are you SURE that is where the little brat is hiding?"  
"Without a doubt, my queen!"  
"Good. Alert me the SECOND the pirates leave or look like they are about to leave. I'm going to go make preparations." Turning on her heel, she marched smartly out of her chambers, locking the door behind her as she always did.  
After thanking the Four Blues and whatever gods there might be in the world, the mirror waited for the pirates to move, knowing too well that it was better not to ask what sort of "preparations" the queen had in mind.   
  
Nami awoke before any of the pirates had stirred from their beds. After sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she looked fondly around the room as they collectively snored loud enough to wake the dead. It was a wonder she got any sleep. She didn't see Shanks however, and figured him to be already up doing his morning routine, whatever it was. She swung her legs off the bed; only to quickly pull them back up to avoid stepping on the body that littered the floor. Shanks had taken up residence between her and Bon Clay's bed on the floor where he was stretched out and snoring lightly. She smiled guiltily. She would have to find or make herself another bed somewhere; she couldn't keep stealing the captain's sleeping quarters forever. She tiptoed out of the room so as not to wake anyone and proceeded downstairs to where the bathroom was. After she brushed her hair and teeth and made herself look presentable, she started making preparations in the kitchen.  
'I'm not that much of a cook, but I can at least manage bacon and eggs for them,' she thought.  
It took her a while to prepare so much food for so many people, and when she was about 3/4 done she felt several pairs of eyes boring holes her back. Whirling around she found Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Bon Clay staring ravenously as she cooked.  
"Um, good morning!" she said hopefully cheerfully. "I'll have breakfast ready soon, so . . . why don't you just sit at the table and wait, okay?"  
"WAHOO!!!" the four yelled as they raced around the table yelling at the top of their lungs, "FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!"  
Nami just smiled hesitantly and returned to the stove. Lumbering sounds on the stairs indicated that Shanks, Smoker, and Zoro had decided to join them. Shanks took a moment to admire Nami's handiwork whilst the other two found their places and tried to ignore the noise.  
"Well, you have certainly brightened up breakfast for us! I admit it's a relief not to have to cook anymore," Shanks commented.  
"You did the cooking, Captain?"  
"Oh yes, I was the only one with any competency at it. The others did their share but to be honest I didn't look forward to those days very much," he replied with a shameful grin.  
Nami just smiled and said, "It does you credit for sticking with them for so long."  
"Nah, it's not that much of a trial. Just try spending some time with them; you'll start to see what's so charming about them. I guarantee it." He grinned goofily at her then joined his men at the table, simultaneously pulling Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Bon Clay into their seats.  
After a (relatively) quiet breakfast, Shanks stood up with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Well, this has certainly been one of our more successful meals in a long time. Unfortunately we cannot stay for lunch and dinner, as I have another place planned for us to go to today."  
The others made sounds of disappointment, except for Smoker who merely grunted and Zoro who remained silent. Shanks held up a hand to quell them, then looked directly at Nami.  
"Nami, as our cartographer I regret to inform you that we are rather low on ink and paper and tools. That's one reason we have to head out today, so that we can pick up supplies for you. Is there anything else?"  
Nami looked at the ceiling thoughtfully before answering. "Well, I suppose we could use some more foodstuffs, you're very low. And some extra clothes would be nice, I wasn't able to bring very much with me when I left Alvida's castle."  
Shanks nodded in agreement while Smoker looked fairly scandalized. "Are you implying that we are going to have to SHOP?"  
Nami returned his look and said, "Yes, if you want me living here. I'm not asking for a lot, just some decent clothes!"  
"It is no problem, little signet!" Bon Clay answered with a wave of his hand. "As the only one here in proper touch with his feminine side, I shall be the one to choose only the most desirable of clothes for you!"  
Nami smiled graciously. "Thank you, Bon Clay. Of course I'll be giving everything a close inspection when you bring it." The last was said with a fairly calculating glint in her eyes.  
Zoro took note of this and snorted softly. "Manipulative woman."  
Nami didn't dignify that with an answer, but she registered it away in her mind. What was his problem anyway?  
Shanks cleared his throat and continued, after he pushed jubilant Bon Clay back into his seat. "In that case, we'll pick up everything on our little cruise. Now, in terms of insurance for your safety, Nami."  
Nami looked sharply at him and the rest looked at each other questioningly.  
"I don't really know what sort of person or thing Alvida will send after you, at least not right now. She might not even know you are gone yet. However, it is still a concern and I don't want you or this house getting smashed to pieces. Therefore, I have decided to leave Zoro behind this time as your protection."  
"HUH!?" Zoro and Nami simultaneously said. The others just grinned at the two of them before getting up to clear the dishes.  
"Zoro is one of my strongest fighters, and I'm confident he won't let anything happen to you. And, with the exception of Luffy, he's been with me the longest, so he can fill you in on anything you need to know. And he is due for a rest anyway, he gets a little too excitable when he fights." Shanks tone booked no argument.  
Zoro and Nami gazed at each other uncertainly as the others made ready to leave. Nami in particular wasn't sure what to do with this man who didn't seem to trust her. Shanks had said that she would see the charm in them after spending time with them. This was certainly a test to find anything charming!   
  
Alvida had summoned the strongest swordsman she could get her hands on. After taking care of Buggy and his incompetent self, she reluctantly dipped into her treasury to hire somebody of better reputation and brains than her foolish clown. Unfortunately, he wasn't bought with money alone.  
"And why should I stir myself for such a venture?" the man in black asked.  
Alvida sniffed but didn't give him any tongue-lashings. The man was dangerous enough to put even her on edge, and she needed him, disrespectful as he was. He didn't even kneel or bow in her presence! She really had to get someone to build the throne platform higher.  
"Apart from the generous sum I am offering," she replied, "the girl is currently in the company of a band of pirates. Surely a swordsman of your caliber would not refuse the chance to fight a worthy opponent?"  
"I have yet to see if these so-called pirates are worthy opponents."  
She mentally checked herself before replying in what she hoped was a soothing voice. "How can you tell if they are worthy before you have laid eyes on them?"  
The man met her gaze with a piercing one and she fought to keep herself from sweating. "I suppose there is truth to what you say. Very well, I will go to this island and see if it is worth my time. But trust me, if this turns out to be for nothing then I certainly won't return here for any prospective challenge. Unless I find a better reason to."  
Alvida smiled with some effort while trying to ignore the terror emanating from him. "Agreed, Hawk Eyes."   
  
[Author's Note] Wow, that chapter took a long time to finish. I apologize for the months it took me to get this out, but college waits for nobody. Now that it's summer I should have these chapters out faster, and come fall I'll have my own room and more flexibility in my schedule for fanfic writing. Next time! Nami tries to get along with Zoro and get him to talk, whilst our eager prince finds his way to his heart's desire. Also, what waits for them in the wake of the dreaded Hawk Eyes? You'll just have to agonize over that cliffhanger until the next chapter! 


End file.
